Stateline Shelters Receive Unexpected Boost

Stateline Shelters Receive Unexpected Boost

Stateline animal lovers seem to get younger each year. Some are even dedicating their favorite day of the year to Stateline shelters.

ROCKFORD- Presents cake and fun are a staple at any birthday party but for Victoria Cannon who just turned eleven years old the presents are not for her but for her furry friends.

Victoria said that she feels obligated to help Stateline animals.

“That the animals need the help, and if we don’t help them who will?”

Inside of Victoria’s party invitations was a list of pet supplies that her friends should bring to the party and then donate to a local shelter.

The list of products that are needed at the local shelters are listed online.

Victoria’s grandmother, Kathy Mehalko said that it is easy to donate products from your next birthday party.

“There will be a list of things they need and you print that off and put it in your birthday invitation.”

Noah's Ark shelter in Rockford has first hand experience with children coming in and contributing their birthdays to pets in need.

Another child just dropped of his donations Saturday afternoon.

“I think it’s fabulous I wished him a happy birthday we thanked him greatly for all of his donations we brought him back and let him visit with the animals and kind of showed him where his donations were going.”

Victoria is involved in a local animal welfare group called Angels for Animals. They work with local shelters and fight against animal abuse.

She started helping out at the organization a few years back when her grandma, the director of angels for animals talked with her about getting involved.

“They are the animal’s futures, when I'm not here anymore I hope that my granddaughter and all of her friends will take over where we leave off.”

About 50 Stateline strays and abandoned pets call Noah’s animal shelter home. With so many animals in need, the shelter could use some help.

“Anything people can bring anything people can donate we don’t like to deny anything whatever we can use towards the animals.”

Copyright 2014 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.